The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-05-25
NO LICENSE WINS.



John Barleycorn Done to the Death.
ALL LICENSE APPLICATIONS IN THE COUNTY
REFUSED
There shall be no Iegalized selling by re-
tail of intoxicating drinks within the limits
of Somerset county in the year Of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty-sev-
en- SO the Court has decided and all good
citizens will bow submissively To the decree.
The license war was waged vigorously all of
last week from the opening Of thecourt Mon
day till the adjournment of the same Satur-
day. The license forces were led by w. H.
Koontz. ESQ., ably assisted by H. L. Baer.
Dennis Meyers, John II. Uhl and John r.
Scott Esqrs., while the temperance, or anti
license troops were marshaled by A. H. Cof-
froth, Val. Hay, and w II. Rnppel, Esqrs.
All of the Monday evening session was occu-
pied by the court in examining the various
applications and remonstrances. The argu-
ment was commenced at the opening of the
Court Tuesday morning, w. H. Ruppe, Esq,
making the first argument in behalf of the
remonstrants. He was followed by W. H.
Koontz, Esq, on the part Of the applicants,
and he in turn by Val. Hay, Esq, for the
anti-license people The argument of these
gentlemen occupied both the morning and
afternoon sessions Tuesday. The question
was taken up at intervals during the remain
der of the week and speeches were made by
III. l.. Baer and Dennis Meyers Esqrs., in be-
half of the applicants, A. H Coffroth, Esq,
closing the argument ON the part of the re-
monstrants. The excitement ran high and
the friends of both sides crowded the court
room TO hear their champions speak. A
stranger going into the court room at most
any hour last week would have been at a loss
to know where he was or into what sort of a
meeting he had dropped. CHANGING at the
chairs on the right as he enters, usually re-
served for traverse jurors, and those on the
left which the Grand Jurors are wont to oc-
cupy and seeing them filed with ladies prom
inent in the temperance reform movement,
his first impression would be that a meeting
of the W c. T.. T. was in progress. A sono-
rous Amen, from one of the many clergy
men who lolled upon seats within the bar
the holy of HOLES, where none but court of
ficials, members of the bar. and their clients
are usually allowed to enter would dispel
this illusion and, a Methodist revival would
be his second thought. The number of chill
dren and babes in arms would be slightly
suggestive of a nursery, and il would only be
when the court crier, in stentorian tones, had
cried o yes, o yes, this court now stands adj
jonrned, etc, and he would hear the excited
comments Of the throng as they pushed past
him, that he would realize that he had been
in Somerset county license court.
There was no session of Court held Friday
evening as the Judges wished to occupy that
time in giving all the papers involved in the
question last careful examination and to
prepare their decision. When the bell rang
Saturday morning an anxious, eager crowd
tlocked to the Court room. Court was
promptly called to order and you could have
heard Waterbury watch tick as Judge Baer
read his opinion, and this is what he said:
Having heard and duly considered each
case in the light of the law as it now exists.
what each member considers sound judicial
discretion, do not arrive at the same conclu-
sion in all cases. The result is that the APP
pications for license of Sweitzer, Williams,
Clark, and Baer are refused unanimously,
and all other applications in the county are
by the majority of the Court, refused, the
President Judge dissenting
The decision was short, sweet tor bitter,
just as you looked at III and to the point,
and was SO unexpected that it fairly took
away the breath of the crowd, friends and
foes of license alike being amazed and aston
ished Then the crowd quietly sought the
streets, the temperance people to rejoice; con-
gratulate and jubilate and the license people
to quietly smoke and chaw and jaw and look
sadly discomfitted. The result was received
throughout the county with widely differing
opinions in some places with rejoicing and
in other places, ON the contrary just the re-
verse The wholesale slaughter of the inno-
cents by the Court was unlocked for the
reason that against about one half of the ap-
plications there had been no remonstrances
filed but the Court apparently made up Its
mind that there should be no intoxicating
liquor legally sold by retail in Somerset
county from the date of its decision untf the
2lst day of May Ammo Domini one thousand
eight hundred and eighty eight, and What
are You going to do about it?"